Portable reader

ABSTRACT

A portable reader is arranged to read a card. The card is provided with a set of contact areas. The reader is provided with a connector. The connector is provided with a set of contact pads. The portable reader comprises a first and a second holding elements arranged to hold the card so that at least one contact pad of the set contact pads can be connected to at least one contact area of the set of contact areas. At least the one of the holding elements is arranged to be movable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a portable reader, in particular a portablereader arranged to read cards. The card can be, for example, aSubscriber Identity Module (SIM) card or an ISO card the format of whichrespect that specified in the ISO 7816 standard. More generally the cardcan be any portable object provided with an integrated circuit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

EP1181663 A1 discloses a portable reader. The reader comprises a partfor electric connection to the port of a computer, whereby said partexhibits four conduction lines in addition to a part for the insertionof a module which is removable and which can store confidentialinformation, comprising the body of a plastic module which issubstantially parallelepiped and rectangular whereby the dimensionsthereof are 25 mm long, 15 mm wide and 0.76 mm thick, further comprisingan integrated circuit chip provided with contact pads which areelectrically connected to contact pads which are flush with one of thesurfaces of said module, whereby the insertion part comprises aconnector which has pins which are electrically connected to theelectric connection lines of the reader and, when the module is insertedinto said reader, to the contact pads of said module. The portablereader is specifically designed for readers, which are to be connectedelectrically to a USB port in a computer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to propose another solution.

According to one aspect of the invention a portable reader arranged toread a card, the card being provided with a set of contact areas, thereader being provided with a connector, the connector being providedwith a set of contact pads, wherein the portable reader comprises afirst and a second holding element arranged to hold the card so that atleast one contact pad of the set of contact pads can be connected to atleast one contact area of the set of contact areas, and wherein at leastone holding element is movable.

With the portable reader of the prior art, when the contact areas of thecard are connected to the contact pads of the connector, the card ismaintained by means of the insertion part. With the invention, when thecontact areas of the card to be read are positioned on the connector,the card is maintained using the first and second holding elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a portable reader;

FIGS. 2 a-2 e illustrates the various elements of the portable reader;

FIGS. 3 a-3 b illustrates a portable reader in two differentembodiments;

FIGS. 4 a-4 b illustrates a portable reader in two differentembodiments;

FIGS. 5 a-5 b illustrates a portable reader in two differentembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a portable reader arranged to readcards, in particular smart cards.

Smart cards are standardized articles described in particular in ISOstandard 7816. Smart cards are generally provided with an integratedcircuit. The integrated circuit may comprise various functionalelements, such as in particular a central processor unit (CPU) andvolatile memory (RAM), non-volatile memory (ROM) and electricallyerasable and programmable non-volatile memory (EEPROM). The central unit(CPU) manages data and addresses in the various memories by means of abus. In general, data and addresses are respectively encoded on 8 bitsand on 16 bits. The integrated circuits are provided with six contactpads (not shown). As defined by the standard, the aforementioned padsinclude the following: a VCC pad, a GND pad, a VPP pad, a RST pad, a CLKpad, and an I/O pad. They serve respectively to supply the integratedcircuit with electricity, to ground it, to supply it with a programmingvoltage, to reset it, to input a clock signal, and to perform data inputand output. These pads are electrically connected to contact areas thatare flush with the surface of the card. As defined by the standard, theaforementioned pads are configured such that they can connect withcorresponding areas on the smart card (i.e. C1-C3 and C5-C7) (notshown). The aforementioned areas on the smart card are defined by thestandard. More specifically, the VCC pad is configured to connect to anarea C1, the GND pad is configured connect to an area C5, the VPP pad isconfigured to connect to an area C6, the RST pad is configured toconnect to an area C2, the CLK pad is configured to connect to an areaC3, and the I/O pad is configured to connect to an area C7. Part 2 ofabove-specified ISO standard 7816 relates to the number, size, andpositioning of the electric contact areas on the card. Thus, as definedin that standard, in addition to the areas C1, C5, C6, C2, C3, and C7,the card also has two areas C4 and C8 that are reserved for future use.

The card reader comprises a base element (BASE) on which is fixed a pcbelement (PCB). A first holding element (HE1) and a second holdingelement (HE2) are fixed to the pcb element (PCB). A top element (TOP)covers the pcb element (PCB).

The base element (BASE) and the top element (TOP) are made, for example,in a plastic material. The pcb element (PCB) comprises a support layeronto which is fixed a connector (CON) provided with 8 contact pads. Thepcb element (PCB) further comprises a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plugthat can be inserted in a USB port of a computer. The USB plug isprovided with four conducting lines VCC, GND, D+, D−. These fourconducting lines are electrically connected to the connector.

The first holding element (HE1) and the second holding element (HE2) arearranged to pivot using, for example, a pivot element (PIV). The firstand second holding elements are provided with a first and a secondcard-receiving element (CARE1, CARE2). The first and secondcard-receiving elements are arranged in such a manner that when a cardis inserted in the reader, the contact areas of the cards are connectedto those of the connector and that the conducting lines VCC, GND, D+, D−are respectively electrically connected to the contact areas C1, C2, C4and C8 of the card.

Advantageously, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the first and secondcard-receiving elements (CARE1, CARE2) are arranged to receive cardshaving various formats, for example, both a SIM card and an ISO card.The first and second card-receiving elements (CARE1, CARE2) can bemanufactured using, for example, molding techniques.

FIG. 3 illustrates a first holding element in a closed position and asecond holding element in an open position. The first and second holdingelements can be provided with clipping elements (CLIP) so that they canbe dipped to each other when they both are in a closed position.

The above-mentioned description illustrates a portable reader arrangedto read a card. The card is provided with a set of contact areas. Thereader is provided with a connector. The connector is provided with aset of contact pads. The portable reader comprises a first and a secondholding element arranged to hold the card so that at least one contactpad of the set of contact pads can be connected to at least one contactarea of the set of contact areas. At least one holding element ismovable.

According to another aspect of the invention, the first and the secondholding element (HE1, HE2) are respectively provided with a first and asecond card-receiving elements (CARE1, CARE2).

According to another aspect of the invention, the first and the secondcard-receiving elements (CARE1, CARE2) are arranged to receive cardshaving various format.

According to another aspect of the invention, the first and the secondcard-receiving elements (CARE1, CARE2) are arranged to receive both aSIM card and an ISO card.

According to another aspect of the invention, the first and the secondholding elements (HE1, HE2) are arranged to pivot.

According to another aspect of the invention, the portable readerfurther comprises a USB connector (USB CON).

According to another aspect of the invention, the USB connector isarranged to pivot. Thus, when connecting the portable reader to a USBcomputer port, the portable reader can be placed either in asubstantially vertical position, or in a substantially horizontalposition.

In the above-mentioned description, for example, as illustrated in FIG.3, the pivot element (PIV) is placed near the USB connector.Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the pivot element (PIV) can be placedat the other extremity of the pcb support.

In the above-mentioned description, the first and second holdingelements (HE1, HE2) were fixed to one pivot element (PIV).Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 5, each holding element can befixed to a separate pivot (PIV1, PIV2).

In the above-mentioned description, a USB connector is used. Moregenerally any other type of connector could be used like, for example, aPCMCIA or serial port. Having a USB connector is not essential to theinvention.

In the above-mentioned description, two holding elements are used, butthere can be three or more.

1. A portable reader for reading a card having a plurality of contactareas, comprising: a connector having a plurality of contact pads; and afirst holding element and a second holding element arranged to hold thecard such that at least one contact pad of the plurality of contact padscan be connected to at least one contact area of the plurality ofcontact areas, wherein at least one of the first holding element and thesecond holding element is movable in a lateral direction.
 2. Theportable reader according to claim 1, wherein the first holding elementand the second holding element are respectively provided with a firstcard-receiving element and a second card-receiving element.
 3. Theportable reader according to claim 2, wherein the first card-receivingelement and the second card-receiving element are arranged to receiveany of cards corresponding to various formats.
 4. The portable readeraccording to claim 3, wherein the first card-receiving element and thesecond card-receiving element are arranged to receive at least oneselected from the group consisting of a SIM card and an ISO card.
 5. Theportable reader according to claim 1, wherein the first holding elementand the second holding element are each arranged to pivot laterally. 6.The portable reader according to claim 1, wherein the portable readerfurther comprises a USB connector.
 7. The portable reader according toclaim 6, wherein the USB connector is arranged to pivot.
 8. The portablereader according to claim 1, wherein the first holding element and thesecond holding element are movable in substantially opposite directions.9. The portable reader according to claim 1, further comprising: astationary base; a stationary top; and a support layer comprising theconnector having the plurality of contact pads, wherein the supportlayer is disposed between the stationary base and the stationary top;wherein the first and the second holding element are disposed betweenthe support layer and the stationary top.
 10. The portable readeraccording to claim 9, wherein the connector is a USB connector.
 11. Theportable reader according to claim 10, wherein the USB connector isarranged to pivot.
 12. A portable reader for reading a card, comprising:a housing having a pivot portion; a connector having a contact paddisposed within the housing; and a first holding element configured tobe supported pivotally by the pivot portion and be pivoted in a lateraldirection, wherein the first holding element is configured to hold thecard such that the contact pad can be connected to a contact area of thecard.